Mac Users, This New App Transforms Your iPad Into A Drawing Tablet

Photo 251944211 © Blackzheep | Dreamstime.com

While Apple’s MacBooks and iPads are touted as multitasking powerhouses, for the most part, you’ll only be using one device at a time for work. Now, a new app called Slate lets creatives maximize the abilities of both.

Slate, developed by iPad drawing software company Astropad, lets you double your Apple tablet as a pseudo-Wacom. The app differs from existing solutions, including Apple’s own Sidecar, in that instead of turning your iPad into a second display, it converts it into a no-screen drawing tablet that supports your workflow on your go-to desktop creative productivity software.

Image via Astropad

Notably, the tool connects your Mac and iPad via Wi-Fi or peer-to-peer networking, so there’s no need for cables. Though, if you prefer, there’s still the option to hook them up using a USB connector.

Besides fashioning a drawing surface, Slate lets you control your Mac cursor with your Apple Pencil. You can also treat your iPad like a trackpad and apply one- and two-finger touch gestures on the display to “scroll and zoom on your Mac.”

If you’re a fan of writing on notepads, Slate even allows you to spell out words in your handwriting, which translates them into typed text on your Mac.

Image via Slate

Additionally, Slate supports the new Apple Pencil hover feature that was shipped with iPadOS 17, where you can quickly preview and swap between tools or test-drive drawing tools before you start working on a canvas.

As part of a testing round, Slate is now available as a free public beta version. You can download it now.

[via Digital Trends and iMore, images via various sources]